Bubbling drinking-fountain.



S. C. KEITH, JR'. BUBBLINQ DRINKING FOUNTAIN.

APPLIoATIoN II'LIIIINOV. I, 1910.

Patented July 22, 1913.

"alla strains raiENl? omnes.

SIMEONC. KEITH; ,meer NEWTON, Massacirusn'rrs.

To all whom it may concern; l

Be it known thatI, SIMEONC. KEITH, v".l'r., of Newton, in the county of Middlesex State of Massachusetts, have invented cerI tain new and useful Improvements inQBiIb-f bling Drinking-Fountains, p ofgvvhich ,e

lowing is a specification. I A This invention has relation drinking fo-untains and has for itsobje'ctitfo providecertain improvements, infffou'ntains such asfthose set'forth in my Iietters'Patent No. 973,790, dated October 2 5, 19,10, 4and "No 1,019,162, dated March 5,1912.

When a fountain is provided ivithnieans for automatically controlling the ytlovv `of Water to secure an unvarying height of the bubble irrespective vof `vari-ations inthe pressure of the water being df'elivered'io the fountain, it is desirable that-the`initial height of the bubble should be capable'of regulation according tol the requirements of the particular place,.to the maximumpresi sure of Water in theservicepipes, ortothe varying ideas of lschool or other "public officials. This regulation orfadjustment may be secured by varying theftensifon offthe spring which bears against the piston offthe regulating valve, and thel present. invention has for its object to `provide aconvenient and accessible means for eifecting'the'vfaration of. the tensionof saidspring!V Again, one of the objectionable features of a biibf bling fountain yis that, When'thepwaterf'is first admitted to the fountain frointhe service pipe by opening a valve4 0 1'. coclr, ftl`i`e Water is apt to spurtthrough the'outle't port in a fine jet or spray soine little'- distance above the fountain. Another object Aof vthe present invention therefore "is 'to 'prevent the possibility o1 such s'purting or violent discharge of the bubble Whenthe Watergis i'irst admitted to the fountain andbeforethe casing is partially lilled. I have provided a construction in which thisy isprevente'd by directing the admissionI of Water tojthe nozzle which directs it tothe outlet port in such Way that vthe vv'ater-Will flow smoothly and: evenly from the moment' ofl its first admission to the casing. As illustrated, the fountain consists of a casing provided With"a` combined cap and nozzle through which the Wateris i-iniitted vertically in the form of a lowljetorbubble.V Within the Casin subidas i is'. a. piston connected tothe regulating va ve whichcontrols'thetportv 'sunshine :iranienne-roumain.

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nildugh'ivhiehtewater is admitted i@ u1@ casing and under side of the piston; and betv veen the cap andthe piston the spring which op'poses'the force of the Water exertedrupon the piston. This is substantially the construe.tion of the fountains as illustrfatedanddescribed in my said applications. ylnca'rr'ying out my invention, I secure the variation in the tension of the spring tt-hereby eli'ecting echange in the height of the bubble) by providing the combined cap Aand noz'zle, and the casing with complemental threaded portions of such length that 'merely by rotatingr the cover in one direction or lthe other and thereby adjusting said cap longitudinally of the casing, the pressure of thesp'ringupon the pistonmay be increased or diminished, said portions having no contacting shoulders or stops to limit any desired adjustment of said cap. In order, however, that after the cap has been once ad'- justed to the position to secure a bubble of thekd'efsired height, it cannot be tampered -W'ith by unauthorized persons, I provide a lookv nut, threaded on the casing, which may be set with any such force against the end of the cap that it and the cap cannot be rotated'without the use of a proper tool. The cap and 4the 'locking nut have substantially cylindrical side Walls, and 4in appearance one `forms a continuation of the other, in

consequence of which au ornamental effect secured. `In addition thereto, in the illustrated embodiment of ythe invention, the

`threads of the nut are interrupted to provide ports between itand the casing to register with ythe similarports in the cap through which the water is 'emitted when the nozzle is mischievously throttled in an attempt to squirt or deflect the Water away from its regular: course.

The piston is apertured for the passage of Water'therethrough and is provided W1th a nozzle located in alinement with the discharge port of the casing. In the present form of the invention, the port through the piston isprovidcd for by inserting through the piston a tube, the lower end of Which is closed except for small lateral opposed inlet [ports through which the Water is admitted to the-tube. By arranging these ports transversely to the path in which the water must flovvthrough' the tube and by arranging them diametrically opposite-each other, the `finestrea'ins of Water entering the tube are caused to oppose each other, and the water fills the borerof the tube and is discharged without spurting or spraying when it is first admitted thereto.

Referring to the drawings,-Figure1 represents a side elevation of a drinking fountain embodying the invention. Fig. 2 represents a vert-ical section therethrough on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a plan view of the fountain with the cap removed and shows the spring in section. Fig. 4 represents a plan view of the nut. Fig. 5 represents a vertical section on a different. plane from that in Fig. 2 to illustrate ports for the passage of water between the casing and the cap and nut. Figs. 6 and 7 represent vertical sections through the cap and the nut respectively. Fig. 8 illustrates the exterior of the casing with the parts removed.

The casing is illustrated at 10 and has a substantially cylindrical side wall, and is provided in its which affords communication between the interior of the casing and a chamber in an annular, exteriorly polygonal and interiorly threaded flange 12 by which the fountain is attached to a service pipe 13. Within the casing is located the piston 14 dividing the casing into two chambers. The piston is centrally apertured to receive a tube or sleeve 15, closed at its lower end except for the pcrts 16, and formed at said lower end with a regulating` valve 17'by'which the passage of water through the port 11 is controlled. The casing is formed with lugs or projections 18 which form stops forengaging the shoulder on the tube 15 and thus limiting the downward or opening movement of the valve 17. This construction of the piston and valve is advantageous for many reasons, such as its low cost of manufacture, convenience in assembling, etc. The tube 15 constitutes an ejector or nozzle as pointed out in my application Serial No. 551,187. and emits water to the upper chamber whereby it is discharged or ejected through the main nozzle.

As hereinbefore pointed out, the lateral ports 16 are relatively small metrically arranged so that a stream of water entering one port is met by a stream entering the opposite port. These streams, so meet-ing and entering at a right angle to the subsequent flow of the water, are prevented from being discharged upwardly so as to spurt, or be discharged upwardly in a fine stream or spray. I regard this as a desirable feature for it .eliminates some of the diiiic'ulties which I have met with in the manufacture of bubbling fountains.

19 indicates a combined cap and nozzle by which a bubble is emitted vertically from the casing. It is provided with a depending annular flange 20, the bore of which l lin rioal Wall lower end with a port 11' and are dia-v from my invention,

` flares downwardly as illustrated, the diameter of its lower end being great-er than the diameter of the tube. Between the cap and the piston is inserted a relatively powerful helical spring 21, the tension or yielding pressure of which against the piston tends to hold the valve 17 away from-the port or seat 11. By increasing the tension of the spring, it isapparent that the height of the bubble may be increased, whereas by d'ecreasing its tension, the height of the bubble ma be correspondingly lowered. The cyof the casing is exteriory threaded throughout a greater portion of its length as indicated at 22, and the interior of the complemental side wall of the cap is correspondingly threaded-as indicated at 23, and consequently the cap may be adjusted vwithout restraint so as to increase or diminish the tension of the spring as may be desired. To lock the cap, I employ a jam nut 24 having interior threads 2 5 to engage the exterior threads of the casing. The side wall of the cap, and the jam nut are cylindrical and of the same exterior diameter, so that, as illustrated in Fig. 1, one forms to all intents and purposes a continuation of the other, and they inc'losethe casing to a considerable extent. Both the cap and the jam nut are provided with sockets 26 to receive a Spanner or other suitable tool by which they may be rotated. After the cap has been adjusted tov proper 'position'to secure the desired height of the bubble, the lock or jam nut is rotated so as to bind it against rotation and adjustment; The lock nut has an unthreaded extension or skirt to cover the threads on the casing and prevent the settling Aof dust thereon and to add to the finished appearance of the fountain. The cap is provided with ports 27 through which the water is emitted when the port 28 in the cap is. closed, such ports being formed by interrupting the threads 23. Similar ports 29 are formed between the lock nut and the casing by interrupting the threads 25, and the threads are so cut upon the cap and nut that, when the nut is in its locking position, the ports 29 will register with the ports 27. I 4would, not consider it a departure however, if the ports were formed by interrupting the threads or grooving the exterior of the casing instead of forming -them upon the cap and nut.

Having thus explained the nature of my said invention, and described a way of constructing and using the same, although without attempt-ing to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made or all of the modes of its use, what I claim is:

1. In a bubbling drinking fountain, a casing having an inlet ort, a piston in said casing having means or permitting the passage of water past it, a regulating valve movable with said piston for controlling the passage of water through said port into said casing, a ca havin an o utlet for the emission of a. su stantia ly vertical bubble, and a spring bet-Ween said piston and said cap, said casing having an elongated exteriorly threaded portion and said ca having a complementally interiorly threa ed portion, whereby the height of the bubble may be varied by adjusting vsaid cap longitudinally of said easing and thereby increasing or diminishing the pressure of the spring upon the piston.

2. In a bubbling drinking fountain, a easing having an inlet port, a piston in said easing, a regulating valve movable With said piston for controlling the passage of water through said port into said easing, a cap having an outlet .for the emission of a substantially vertical bubble, a spring between said piston and said cap, said casing havingv an elongated exteriorly threaded portion and said cap having a complementally interiorly threaded ortion, whereby the height of the bubb e may be varied by adjusting said cap longitudinally of said easing and thereby increasing or diminishing the pressure of the spring upon the piston, and a lock nut on the threaded portion of said casing to bind the cap against rotation, said cap and nut having similar external cylindrical surfaces,

and said nut having an unthreaded skirt to cover the exposed threads en the easing.

3. In a bubbling drinking fountain, a threaded casing, a cap having threads in engagement with threads ofthe easing and adjustable longitudinally thereof, said cap having an outlet port for the emission of a jet or bubble, a piston in said easing, a spring between said piston and said oa the tension of which is varied by the adjustment of the cap, said cap having supplemental outlet ports, for the emisaion'of water when the outlet portis closed, formed by gaps in the threads.'

4. In a bubbling drinking fountain, a casing, a cap in threaded engagement with the easing and adjustable longitudinally thereof, said cap having an outlet port for the emission of a jet or bubble, a piston in said easing, a spring between said piston and said cap, the tension of which is varied by the adjustment ofthe cap, a jam nut on the easing to lock the cap in place, there bein supplemental ports between the easing an said cap and nut for the emission of water when the main outlet port is closed.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

SIMEON C. KEITH, JR. Witnesses:

M. B. MAY, P. W. PEZZETTI. 

